Darrell Simpson

Darrell Lynn Simpson, age 75, of Northport, Alabama, passed on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at DCH Regional Medical Center while surrounded by his loving family as he entered the arms of Jesus.

Memorial arrangements are furnished by Magnolia Chapel South funeral home.

Visitation and memorial service will be held at Little Sandy Baptist Church, 13281 Barbour Loop Rd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 on Saturday, April 1, 2023 with visitation at 12 o'clock noon followed by memorial service at 1 PM.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of over 50 years, Mary Jane Zimmerman Simpson, his parents, Elmer Earl and Dorothy Teague Simpson, brother Larry Lee Simpson, sister Betty Jean Simpson Kegg, brothers in law, Johnny Zimmerman, Joe Zimmerman, Bob Zimmerman, David Zimmerman, and sister in law Ruth Ann Williams.

He is survived by his son, Doug Simpson (Christy) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, daughter, Becky Smithson (Mitch) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, daughter, Katie Farley (Charlie) of Duncanville, Alabama; sisters, Edna Newman Sample of Harrison, Tennessee, and Judy Southard (Brian) of Canton, Georgia; brothers, Omar Simpson (Barbara) of Shelbyville, Tennessee and Bobby Simpson (Sandy) of Winchester, Tennessee; brothers-in-law, Gary Zimmerman of Winchester, Tennessee, and William "Bill" Kegg of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and sister-in-law, Janice Simpson of Gautier, Mississippi as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was Pop Pop to Austin Smithson, Lynsey Simpson (Chase Layton, fiancé), Baylie Smithson , Grace Farley, Emmi Claire Farley and Tripp Farley.

He was born January 7, 1948 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the late Elmer and Dorothy Simpson. He grew up in Estill Springs Tennessee and attended Franklin County high school, where he met his precious Mary Jane, whom he married as soon as she graduated high school on May 27, 1967. He went on to begin a career in engineering at Arnold Air Force Base ARO/AEDC where he worked on J-2 engines used on the Saturn IB AND SATURN V rockets. He and Jane moved to Tuscaloosa in 1971 so he could begin his career at BF Goodrich where he worked for over 20 years before retiring as a supervisor in 1994. He was a loving husband to Jane and a wonderful and loving father, protector, and provider to Doug, Becky, and Katie. He was always ready to practice pitching, fielding, hitting and throwing with not only his children but all of their neighborhood friends. He coached almost everyone of Doug's baseball teams. He was very competitive (as all Simpson's seem to be) and loved his Tennessee volunteers for over 50 years before finally converting to being an Alabama Crimson Tide fan. He loved his daughter-in-law, Christy, and sons-in-law, Mitch and Charlie, as if they were his own children, and he was so proud to have them in his family. His grand children became his pride and joy, and he loved being their Pop Pop above all else. He had a unique and special relationship with each of them, and loved playing games with them in the garage, picking them up from daycare or school, chatting about anything and everything, and attending as many baseball and softball games as he was able to.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to Northport Baptist Church, Northport, AL or little Sandy Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, AL.